Adjustable shield device for shielding x-rays

ABSTRACT

A generally triangular lead shield has a handle bar extended from its base slideably and rotatably through an adjustable head on the free end of a telescopic element, which latter is slideable and rotatable in a tube on a rotatable mounting bracket adapted to be secured to the housing of an X-ray tube, whereby the position of the shield can be adjusted vertically or horizontally or into an out of the way position, and the shadow area can be varied by turning the handle bar and the shield about a horizontal axis relatively to said X-rays.

United States Patent 1 Brackenbrough et al.

[ 1 Mar. 27, 1973 ADJUSTABLE SHIELD DEVICE FOR SHIELDING X-RAYS [76] inventors: Dennis D. Brackenbrough flg, l 3ox 266, Cutten 95534; Harold E. Godfrey, Jr., 1487 Allen Dr., Eureka 9550];

of Calif.

[22] Filed: Nov. 26, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 202,328

[52] U.S. CI ..250ll08 R, 250/105, 250/108 FS [51] Int. Cl ..G2lf 3/00 58 Field of Search ..250/105, 108 R, io'ws,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,091,696 5/1963 Peyser ..250/l05 Richard G. Mills,

[1964 Peyser ..250/|08 R 4/1966 Van De Geijnl ..250/l05 X Primary Examiner-Archie R. Borchelt Attorney-George B. White [57] ABSTRACT A generally triangular lead shield has a handle bar extended from its base slideably and rotatably through an adjustable head on the free end of a telescopic element, which latter is slideable and rotatable in a tube on a rotatable mounting bracket adapted to be secured to the housing of an X-ray tube, whereby the position of the shield can be adjusted vertically or horizontally or into an out of the way position, and the shadow area can be varied by turning the handle bar and the shield about a horizontal axis relatively to said X-rays.

10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 47 Q F A I l /1v.

FIG. 2.

FIG I INVENTOES PENN/5 D. BFACKE/VBROUGH HAROLD LGQUFREY'JR RICH/1RD GMILLS ATTORNEY PATENTEI] W i975 SHEET 1 OF 3 v PATENTEDMARZ? 191s sum 2 or 5 INVENTORS DENNIS 0. BEAC/(E'NBROUGH HAROLD E GODFREY JR. RICHARD 6 MILLS ATTORNEY PATENTED MR2"! I973 SHEET 3 0F 3 FIG. 8.

I H 'JMM INVENTORS DENNIS D. -BE4 CKENBROUG-H HAROLD E. GODFREY JP. RICHARD G. MILLS ATTORNEY ADJUSTABLE SHIELD DEVICE FOR SHIELDING X-RAYS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Previous devices for shielding a portion of the body from X-rays included lead plates placed directly on the body, or a plurality of lead plates adapted to be fanned out or contracted, or shields mounted on the collimator under the X-ray tube, all operative within their limitations. 7

The primary object of this invention is to provide a single shield in such form and so supported as to be quickly and easily positionable to accurately determine the area to be shielded without touching the body of the patient, and without altering either the X-ray machine or the collimator.

Specifically it is an object of the invention to support a lead plate on a handle whereby the plate can be shifted horizontally between the X-ray tube and the patients body into selected position and also turned edgewise to determine the area of the shadow, means being provided to adjust the position of the shield vertically, and whereby the entire device can be quickly turned into an out of the way position or returned in a shielding position at will.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmental perspective view of an X-ray machine with the shield device in operative position.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the mounting, the section being taken on lines 22 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a fragmental front view of the device mounting. 4

FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the various adjusted positions of the shield device.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate another form of mounting the shield device on the X-ray tube housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A shield 1 capable of obstructing X-rays, such as a lead plate, has a handle bar 2 extended through a cross head 3 adjustable on the free end of a telescopic bar or tube 4 which latter is longitudinally adjustable in a mounting tube 6 and is held in adjusted position by a set screw 7 in the side of the mounting tube 6.

The cross head 3 has a rotatable portion 8 offset to one side of the telescopic bar 4 to facilitate the turning of the bar 4 by means of the handle bar 2. A hole 9 extends through the rotatable cross head portion 8. The handle bar 2 is rotatable and slideable in said hole 9. A handle 11 on the free end of the handle bar 2 facilitates manipulation.

The mounting tube 6 is fixed on a bracket plate 12 which has a hub 13 thereof located in a journal recess 14 of a mounting housing 16, which latter is suitably secured to the X-ray tube housing 17 On the inside of the mounting housing 16 is a suitably dished bearing plate 18 conforming to the journal recess 14 and to the bottom 19 of the mounting housing 16. The apex of the recess 14 is cut out and pins 20 extend from the hollow hub 13 and through the middle dished portion of the bearing disk 18 so as to rotate the bearing disk 18 together with the bracket plate 12. A journal pin 21 extends through the center of the hub 13 and has a nut 22 on its inner end pressing a coil spring 23 against the dished portion of the bearing disk 18. The flange portion of the bearing disk 18 has a tubular pocket 24 thereon which contains a rounded catch 26 pressed by a spring 27 held by a cap 28 on the top of the pocket 24. The mounting housing bottom 19 has a series of dents or holes 29 engageable by the catch 26 in various adjusted positions of the bracket plate 12.

The facility and variety of position adjustments is illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7, wherein FIG. 4 shows the shield beneath the collimator 31 in centered position, from which the shield could be shifted forward into position A in FIG. 5, or backward into position B in FIG. 5, by turning the mounting tube 6 with its mounting bracket plate 12. By suitable turning of the handle bar 2 the shield 1 may be held in a plane at right angles to the X-rays as shown in FIG. 4, or at an angle transversely edgewise as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 1. The shield 1 can be also further adjusted by sliding the handle bar 2 or by turning the extension 8. The device may be turned into an out of the way position by sliding the telescopic bar 4 through the mounting tube 6 and turning the handle bar 2 into parallel vertical position as in FIG. 6', or by turning the mounting tube 6 around 180 and holding the handle bar 2 horizontal above the X-ray tube housing as shown at C in FIG. 7, or by turning the mounting tube 6 at right angles about and holding the handle bar 2 and shield 1 horizontal along a side of the X-ray tube housing as shown at D in FIG. 7. The device affords multiple adjustments by simple manipulation of a single handle and facilitates and speeds the adjustment of the shield to the desired shading.

The rotatable portion 8 has a set screw 35 in its end which extends axially into the hole 9 to tighten the handlebar 2 in the longitudinally adjusted position. A stem 36 extends axially from the rotatable portion 8 and through the cross head 3 to form a journal for the turning of the rotatable portion 8. A coil spring 37 between the end of the cross head 3 and a nut 38 on the end of the stem 36 pulls the rotatable portion 8 against the cross head 3. Suitable ends 39 and 41 respectively on the rotatable portion 8 and the cross head 3 have complemental serrated faces which are pulled into engagement by the spring 37. Thus for angular adjustment of the rotatable portion 8 the same is pulled away from the cross bar 3 and against the action of the coil spring 37 by pulling on the set screw 35. Then while the rotatable portion 8 is disengaged from the cross head 3 the handlebar 2 can be used to turn the rotatable portion to the various attitudes heretofore described.

Another form of mounting is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. In this form a band 46 surrounds the outer periphery of the X-ray tube housing 17 shown in FIG. 8. One end of the band 46' has a loop 47 which is held on a pin 48 extending transversely through a hollow pocket 49. The other end of the band is extended through a slot 51 in the end 52 of the horizontal hollow portion 53 of the bracket, and it is fixedly secured to a traveling nut 54. A tightening screw 56 is threaded through the U-shaped nut 54. The inner end of the tightening screw has a collar 57 thereon abutting against bearing 58 to prevent longitudinal movement of the thread in one direction, and a knurled head 59 on the outside end of the screw 56 bears against the vertical wall of the bracket to prevent longitudinal movemerit of the screw 56 in the other direction. Thus by turning the screw 56 the nut 54 is pulled to tighten the band 46.

A plate 61 is suitably secured to the vertical part of the bracket 49 so as to extend in a plane parallel with the position of the band 46. Thus the band 46 is positioned on the X-ray tube casing housing 17 so that the plate 61 rests against the end wall 62 of the housing 17. The plate 61 has a circular portion 63 substantially concentric with the band 46 so that as the band is tightened the circular base portion 63 is substantially centered on the housing end wall 62. Thus the mounting housing 16 and bracket plate 12 are in axial registry with the X-ray tube housing 17. The mounting housing 16 is secured on the base portion 63 of the plate 61 in the same manner as the securing heretofore described in the form shown in FIG. 1.

We claim: I

1. In an adjustable shield device for forming a shadow area in the path of X-rays from an X-ray tube in a housing including,

a shield capable of obstructing X-rays,

and means to adjustably support the said shield,

the improvement comprising mounting means for said shield,

a telescopic element on said mounting means,

a member slideable and rotatable relatively to said telescoping element,

said shield being on said slideable and rotatable member and said member being manipulable to adjust the position of said shield below said X-ray tube and to vary the extent of the shadow area by turning said shield to vary its angular position relativelyto said tube.

2. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 1, and

said shield having a geometrical outline for a maximum shaded area when substantially at right angles to said X-ray, and said area being reducible by said turning of said shield so as to incline said shield relatively to the direction of said X-ray.

3. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 2, and

said shield being substantially flat.

4. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 2, and

said shield being substantially flat with converging longitudinal edges.

5. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 1, and

said mounting means including a mounting housing adapted to be attached to the X- ray tube housing,

and a rotatable bracket on said mounting housing supporting said telescopic element for permitting the turning of said telescoping element for changing the position of said shield.

6. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 5,

and

a tubular base for said telescopic element being mounted on said bracket,

said telescopic element being slideable in said tubular base, and means to secure said telescopic element in said tubular base in adjusted positions.

7. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 5,

and

a tubular base for said telescopic element being mounted on said bracket,

said telescopic element being slideable and rotatable in said tubular base for adjustment of said shield vertically and horizontally in the field of said X- ray,

and means to secure said telescopic element in said tubular base in adjusted position.

8. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 7,

and v said slideable and rotatable member being a handle bar extended from said shield,

and means to rotatably support said handle bar on said telescopic element for angular adjustment of said shield, and slideably for horizontally positioning said shield in the field of said X-ray.

9. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 1,

and

said mounting means including a mounting band capable of surrounding said X-ray tube housing,

a bracket,

means on said bracket to anchor one end of said band,

and tightening means adjustable on said bracket con.- nected to theother end of said band whereby said band is tightened on the outer periphery of said X- ray tube housing,

a mounting base supported on said bracket concentrically with said band for substantial registry with the axis of said X-ray tube housing,

and means to mount said vertically adjustable element on said mounting base.

10. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 9,

and

said mounting base being adapted to rest upon adjacent face of said X-ray tube housing,

and said mounting means including a rotatable bracket for supporting said vertically adjustable element. 

1. In an adjustable shield device for forming a shadow area in the path of X-rays from an X-ray tube in a housing including, a shield capable of obstructing X-rays, and means to adjustably support the said shield, the improvement comprising mounting means for said shield, a telescopic element on said mounting means, a member slideable and rotatable relatively to said telescoping element, said shield being on said slideable and rotatable member and said member being manipulable to adjust the position of said shield below said X-ray tube and to vary the extent of the shadow area by turning said shield to vary its angular position relatively to said tube.
 2. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 1, and said shield having a geometrical outline for a maximum shaded area when substantially at right angles to said X-ray, and said area being reducible by said turning of said shield so as to incline said shield relatively to the direction of said X-ray.
 3. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 2, and said shield being substantially flat.
 4. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 2, and said shield being substantially flat with converging longitudinal edges.
 5. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 1, and said mounting means including a mounting housing adapted to be attached to the X-ray tube housing, and a rotatable bracket on said mounting housing supporting said telescopic element for permitting the turning of said telescoping element for changing the position of said shield.
 6. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 5, and a tubular base for said telescopic element being mounted on said bracket, said telescopic element being slideable in said tubular base, and means to secure said telescopic element in said tubular base in adjusted positions.
 7. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 5, and a tubular base for said telescopic element being mounted on said bracket, said telescopic element being slideable and rotatable in said tubular base for adjustment of said shield vertically and horizontally in the field of said X-ray, and means to secure said telescopic element in said tubular base in adjusted position.
 8. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 7, and said slideable and rotatable member being a handle bar extended from said shield, and means to rotatably support said handle bar on said telescopic element for angular adjustment of said shield, and slideably for horizontally positioning said shield in the field of said X-ray.
 9. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 1, and said mounting means including a mounting band capable of surrounding said X-ray tube housing, a bracket, means on said bracket to anchor one end of said band, and tightening means adjustable on said bracket connected to the other end of said band whereby said band is tightened on the outer periphery of said X-ray tube housing, a mounting base supported on said bracket concentrically with said band for substantial registry with the axis of said X-ray tube housing, and means to mount said vertically adjustable element on said mounting base.
 10. The adjustable shield device specified in claim 9, and said mounting base being adapted to rest upon adjacent face of said X-ray tube housing, and said mounting means Including a rotatable bracket for supporting said vertically adjustable element. 